This purple, satin-skinned vegetable is ideal for stuffing – avaible all the year round. Here the halves are filled with smoked ham and bubling cheese sauce.

How to make stuffed aubergines? Stuffed aubergines recipes and ingredient shared on our page.

2 Serve stuffed aubergines ingredients

2 medium aubergines
100 g smoked ham
75 ml olive oil
40g butter
1 medium courgette, sliced
25g flour
300ml milk
50g cheddar, grated
2 tsp creamed horseradish sauce
salt and ground black pepper
4 tbls fresh White breadcrumbs
1 tbls chopped parsley
2 tbls grated parmesan cheese

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking time : 45 minutes

Author : Prue Leith

Cookbook : Quick and easy (Confident Cooking)

Stuffed aubergines recipe

1. Remove the stalks from the aubergines and slice them in half lengthways. Carefully scoop out the aubergine flesh without breaking the skin. Cut the flesh and ham into 12 mm in cubes. Heat 3 tbls of oil in a heavybased frying-pan. Add the aubergine shells and fry over a gentle heat until they start to soften. Drain on kitchen paper.

2. Add the remaining oil to the frying-pan, sauté the aubergine flesh for 5 minutes until lighly softened. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

3. Melt 15g butter in a saucepan and cook the ham for 3-5 minutes. Add the courgette to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Remove the ham and courgette with a spoon and add the remaining butter to the pan. When melted, stir in the flour and milk and bring to the boil, stirring continuously to make a smooth sauce. Stir in three-quarters of the Cheddar, the horseradish sauce and seasoning.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C Gas 6. Mix together the aubergine flesh, ham and courgettes and spoon the mixture into the auberine shells. Pour a little sauce over each then top with breadcrumbs mixed with the remaining Cheddar and parsley. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake near the top or of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Enjoy your meal.

Serve stuffed aubergines with saute potatoes and a tomato salad.

A red wine or rose would go well with this dish. Try a Californian burgundy or mateus rose.